Teradyne Robotics A/S, a subsidiary of Teradyne, Inc. and a global supplier of advanced robotic solutions, has announced that it has initiated legal proceedings in Germany against the German subsidiary of Chinese robotics company Elite Robots. The case concerns an alleged infringement of copyright relating to Universal Robots software and, according to the company, is part of a broader challenge linked to the future of industry in Europe, including maintaining competitiveness, scaling automation and safeguarding high production standards.
Teradyne Robotics states that it has clear evidence of copyright infringement by Elite Robots and is asking the German judiciary to protect its intellectual property rights. The company emphasizes that effective enforcement of IP protection has implications that go beyond the interests of a single enterprise. In its view, the lack of real intellectual property protection creates a risk for the development of European automation and weakens the position of local innovators in relation to competitors from outside Europe.
Dispute over Universal Robots software
According to Teradyne Robotics, before taking the case to court the company had previously sent a formal cease-and-desist letter to the German entity associated with Elite Robots. After it failed to obtain a satisfactory response, the company decided to file a lawsuit in German courts, focusing its claims on the infringement of copyright related to software used in Universal Robots.
In its statement, the company underlined that these actions are intended not only to protect specific software solutions, but also to draw attention to the importance of intellectual property in the European advanced technology sector. The company points out that copying protected hardware or software designs in order to lower prices leads to erosion of customer trust, undermines the foundations of innovation and distorts conditions for fair competition in the industrial robotics market.
The president of the Teradyne Robotics group, Jean-Pierre Hathout, said: "This decisive step underscores our commitment to protecting intellectual property and to ensuring that automation users have access to safe, high-quality solutions they deserve." He also added: "Both automation and innovation are key to Europe's future. We cannot allow a situation in which products from companies that illegally copy protected technologies undermine customer trust, weaken the intellectual property of our technology sector and the future of European industry."
Call to strengthen innovation protection in Europe
Teradyne Robotics' communication includes a clear call for broader, joint efforts to protect European innovation. The company stresses that tolerating intellectual property infringements in practice means supporting competitors from outside Europe while weakening domestic technology leaders that operate in line with applicable regulations and invest in the development of new technologies.
The company points to the need for both decision-makers and industry representatives to engage in creating and enforcing measures that will ensure that Europe remains a safe and innovation-friendly environment. In this context, Hathout noted: "Teradyne Robotics has chosen to oppose practices involving copying proprietary hardware or software designs in order to lower prices. We encourage other leaders to join in defending the integrity of our industry and the strength of the European economy."
Robot safety and user trust
In parallel with the legal action regarding copyright infringement, Teradyne Robotics has notified the relevant European safety authorities of its concerns regarding Elite Robots' systems. The company has not disclosed details of these concerns, but links this step to the need to maintain high safety standards in collaborative robotics.
Teradyne Robotics, owner of the Universal Robots and Mobile Industrial Robots brands, has for many years been involved in shaping safety standards in the industrial robotics and logistics sectors. The solutions offered by the company are designed so that, after appropriate risk assessment, they can operate in close proximity to humans on production lines and in logistics centers. According to the company, increasing competition from manufacturers that do not always apply equally rigorous safety approaches may pose a threat to trust in the entire industry.
End-user trust is regarded by Teradyne Robotics as a prerequisite for further development of automation in Europe, both in manufacturing and in logistics and processing. The statement cites data showing that 48% of European manufacturers believe that by 2030 robotics will be the technology with the greatest transformational potential, 68% identify productivity gains as the main reason for implementing automation, and 84% of companies report a positive response from employees to robotization.
These indicators show that robotics is perceived by enterprises as a key tool for building competitive advantage and as a response to labor market challenges and cost pressures. From the perspective of the packaging sector and plastics processing, where the use of collaborative and mobile robots is steadily increasing, issues of safety, software quality and protection of intellectual property have a direct impact on investment decisions in production plants.
